Toolkit

15 JANUARY 2018

waste-free
festivals
From waste to resources
Colophon
This toolkit was written by:
Laura van de Voort (Green Events Nederland)
Paul Schurink (Green Events Nederland)

With contributions from:

Nadine Galle (Metabolic)
Tijl Couzij (Lab Vlieland)
Lyke Poortvliet (Green Events Nederland)
Leonie Boon (Green Events Nederland)
Henk Klein Teeselink & Dorien Bosselaar (NederlandSchoon)
Rowin van Wijhe (Vierdaagsefeesten)

With thanks to:

Christa Licher (Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management)
Emile Bruls (Department of Waterways and Public Works)
Chris Johnson ((RAW Foundation)
Lore Marien (OVAM)
Stijn Lambert (Ecofest

Contact
Green Events Nederland
www.greenevents.nl
nfo@greenevents.nl
Inhoudsopgave

P. 4 Introduction: Green Deal Waste-free festivals

P. 8 The road to waste-free festivals

P. 12 Clean festivals

P. 22 Responsible use of plastic

P. 30 Reusable drinking cups

P. 38 Composting

P. 43 Campsite waste

P. 48 Appendix
Template Cleaning & Resources Plan

The way we deal with resources is rapidly changing. We are

closely following developments and will also be regularly
updating this document.

Download the latest version at www.greenevents.nl

3
Introduction: Green Deal
waste-free festivals.
The 934 festivals in the Netherlands attract 26.7 million
visitors per year (source: Respons festivalmonitor 2017).
On average, 2.33 kilograms of waste per person is left
behind on the festival grounds. Festival organisers,
NederlandSchoon (‘Clean Netherlands’) and the Dutch
government joined forces in October 2015 to prevent
litter by reducing the waste streams and improving their
separation and processing. This involves looking at one’s
own organisation as well as how visitors can be positively
influenced to deal with waste more deliberately.
Festivals are faced with a number of waste streams.
Food scraps, cigarette butts, flyers, rain ponchos, litter,
camping gear and plastic are but a few examples. By better
4
separating waste – both frontstage and backstage – it is
easier to recycle and it is possible, for instance, to compost
waste. In addition, organisers want to limit catering waste;
here, the use of ‘hard cups’ for beverages is a good option.
Together, the signatories of the Green Deal want to tackle
the waste problem in an efficient and effective way. During
various pilots, we examine which measures do and do not
work and under what conditions, so that other festivals can
emulate what has worked elsewhere.
The ’Lessons learned’ have been brought together in this
toolkit. This is a guideline for festival organisations to shape
the approach ‘From waste to resources’.
A different view of waste: from waste-free festivals to
resource-rich festivals
During the course of the Green Deal, the perception of the participants went from looking at waste to preserving resources. This
is the basis for a circular economy. Read more about this (in Dutch) at circulairondernemen.nl. This toolkit is a resource for festival
organisers, in order to help them achieve the circular objectives of the Dutch government. The ‘Material Flow Analysis’ (MFA) is
increasingly being used by businesses, cities and countries in order to solve the problems surrounding, and provide insight into,
their incoming and outgoing material flows (input and output). Just looking at the MFA can provide an answer to such questions
as: Where do the materials that actually could have been reused currently flow? Which material flows have the most impact on
the environment? For DGTL 2017, all material flows from during the festival, as well as all those which were brought in or removed
during the build-up and breakdown, are mapped out. The MFA from DGTL (see pages 6-7) is visualised in a Sankey diagram,
which can be read from left (input) to right (output) and puts the relative size of the material flows in perspective. Certain material
flows are thus visibly larger here than others.

Goal of the Dutch government

50% reduction in the use of primary resources by 2030 and a fully circular economy in 2050.

LINEARY CHAIN ECONOMY CIRCULAR

ECONOMY WITH RECYCLING ECONOMY

Raw materials
Produc
tio Sustainable
Raw materials pr
n

od
ng
Recycling

Production

uct
Recycli

ion
Use

Su
s
l waste
ta
residua
Us in
e able use
Residual waste

C recycle

A Reduce
Circular

B Reuse

B Recycle

D Energie
Lineair

E Incineration
F Landfill
5
MATERIAL FLOW ANALYSIS:
DGTL FESTIVAL 2017
In order to make DGTL completely waste free, it is necessary to get insight into the material flows connected to the festival, where these
materials come from and how they are processed after the festival. This can be done with the help of this ‘Material Flow Analysis’, made
by Metabolic (metabolic.nl)

SANITATION: 260
Dixie toilets: 200 toilets
Portable urinals: 60 urinals

ITEMS FROM VISITORS: 841 KG

FOOD STANDS: 12,414 KG
Food: 10,127 kg
Others*: 1,642 kg
Paper: 465 kg
Plastic: 180 kg

ELECTRONICS: 44,820 KG
Lights and lazors: 25,141 kg
Speakers: 19,679 kg

STAGES: 55,559 KG
Aluminum: 49,311 kg

Rubber/plastics: 6,248 kg

DECORATION: 73,920 KG
Wood: 46,200 kg

Plastics: 18,480 kg
Steel: 9,240 kg

BACKSTAGE & BARS: 94,516 KG

Drinks: 90,000 kg

Paper: 2,215 kg
Others: 841 kg
Glass: 770 kg
PMD: 690 kg

TENTS: 110,000 KG
Aluminium: 60,000 kg

Steel: 40,000 kg

PVC: 10,000 kg

INFRASTRUCTURE & FURNITURE: 139,292 KG

Steel: 135,932 kg

Bridge: 60,000 kg

Fences: 45,154 kg

Large romney: 14,076 kg

Small romneys: 8,736 kg
Lockers: 7006 kg
Standing tables: 720 kg
Bins: 600 kg
Wood: 3,876 kg
Tables: 3,360 kg
Cable reel: 516 kg

6
INFRASTRUCTURE & FURNITURE: 139,292 KG
Wood: 3,876 kg
Tables: 3,360 kg
Cable reel: 516 kg
Steel: 135,932 kg
Bins: 600 kg
Standing tables: 720 kg
Lockers: 7006 kg
Small romneys: 8,736 kg
Large romney: 14,076 kg

Fences: 45,154 kg

Bridge: 60,000 kg

HUMAN WASTE: 113,400 KG

Urine: 93,150 kg

Faeces: 20,250 kg REUSED

Toilet paper: 493 kg

TENTS: 110,000 KG
Aluminium: 60,000 kg

Steel: 40,000 kg

PVC: 10,000 kg

STAGES: 55,559 KG
Aluminum: 49,311 kg

Rubber/plastics: 6,248 kg

ELECTRONICS: 44,820 KG
Lights and lazors: 25,141 kg
Speakers: 19,679 kg

REUSED/DOWNCYCLED

MEALS CONSUMED: 9,875 KG

CONSTRUCTION WASTE: 9,240 KG
Wood: 4,620 kg
Plastics: 1,848 kg
Steel: 924 kg REUSED/RECYCLED
Coarse company waste: 924 kg
Others (cables and concrete): 924 kg

WASTE FROM VISITORS: 3,200 kg

Paper: 1,967 kg
Food: 1,031 kg INCINERATED
Plastic: 140 kg
Metal: 42 kg
Residual: 20 kg

BACKSTAGE & BARS: 4,140 KG

Paper/cardboard: 2,680 kg
Glass: 770 kg RECYCLED
PMD: 690 kg
Mixed: 260 kg

FOOD STANDS: 2,539 KG

Residual: 1,642 kg
Food: 252 kg
Paper: 217 kg
Plastics: 169 kg
* Part of retail unsorted waste stream flowing to operations 7
Less than 1000kg
The road to waste- Chapter 01

free festivals

8
Why waste-free?
Into The Great Wide Open, 2018

Events not only serve as an example, but with their enormous

reach, have the opportunity to inspire a great variety of target
groups to a more sustainable lifestyle.

With the changes in regulations – such as the new events policy

of the city of Amsterdam, which comes into force in 2020 – as
well as a desire to meet the wishes of stakeholders such as local
residents, a clean and sustainable event is important.

What can we do?

The road to a waste-free festival begins with the event’s conceptualization. With every decision
about physical materials that come to the festival you should ask: What happens to this when the
festival is over? All rental materials that return to the supplier after the festival play no role when it
comes to waste. For the rest of the materials, you practise the 3-R principle (Lansink’s Ladder).

1. Reduce (or better still, refuse): Is this material really necessary? Can you do without it?
2. Reuse: Can it be replaced by a reusable alternative?
3. Recycle: Can the material be recycled?

As organiser the reins are in your hands, but for a successful strategy, cooperation with personnel,
suppliers, caterers, cleaning companies, waste collectors, recycling companies/waste processors
and other stakeholders is necessary. Set up a waste and resources coordinator who is responsible
for the plan from a to z.

9
Step-by-step guide to waste
and recource management

1
STEP Appoint a waste and resources coordinator who is responsible for the
cleaning and resources process.

2
STEP Ensure that all stakeholders such as personnel, suppliers, caterers, cleaning
companies, waste collectors and recycling companies/waste processors
become part of this process.

3
STEP Make an inventory of both the materials coming into your festival and those
which will be left behind as waste (see Template Cleaning & Resources Plan
in the appendix).

4
STEP Apply the 3R-principle: Is it necessary, or can you do without it? Is reuse
possible? And if not, can it be recycled? Decide which materials can be used
and create a monostream where necessary to enable recycling.

5
STEP Make an inventory of the necessary collection receptacles and make a bin
plan (what bins will be located where) and supply these with the correct
signage (see template signage Department of Waterways and Public Works).

6
STEP Adjust the cleaning schedule according to the above steps.

7
STEP The coordinator writes a waste plan, or rather, a plan for resources & cleaning
(see Template Cleaning & Resources Plan).

8
STEP The coordinator directs the teams and monitors and supervises the process
thoroughly before (build-up), during and after (breakdown) the event.

9
STEP Make a detailed evaluation and request the waste data from the waste
collector.

10
 INSPIRATION

Recycle Hub (DGTL 2018)

DGTL 2018

In 2020, DGTL aims to become the first Circular Festival. Building on the MFA, this year DGTL made a resource plan for the first
time. With this, major steps are being taken in the transition from waste to resources. By dividing the festival into resource zones, a
detailed resource plan could be made for each zone, including the circular food court and the collection of PET bottles that form
the raw materials for new bottles. The collected resources were, in full view of the public, sorted and/or processed. Through the
transparency of all parties involved, it is easy to see which resources there are, how they are dealt with and what happens to them.
This is the key idea for a thorough resource plan. For DGTL, this has resulted in a waste reduction of 52%.

11
Clean
Chapter 02

Festivals

12
Why clean festival?

Clean events are appreciated more by visitors because

it is an added value for them. A clean festival influences
the sense of safety and maintenance of norms. In
addition, waste that ends up in the correct bin is often
more recyclable than waste left lying on the ground.

Litter – Clean is the norm

—— Clean contributes to the image of the event. It promotes a positive feeling and a
pleasant environment. Besides eliciting support from the festival’s neighbours and
the licensing authorities, the public also finds it more attractive to come to the event.
—— A clean event is achieved by the parties involved working together. Visitors notice
this as well. Interaction with visitors through, for example, visibly cleaning, makes
the work even more enjoyable.
—— An additional advantage to keeping an event clean is that the intermediate and final
cleaning takes less time to finish.
—— Trash picked up from the ground is much more difficult, if not impossible, to recycle.
—— Litter can cause damage to flora and fauna – yet another reason to keep the event
clean.

13
Step-by-step guide to
dealing with litter

The strategy for litter starts with the preparation of a Cleaning & Resources Plan’ (see also
page 49). The most important steps to this are:

1
STEP Reduce disposable products through:

—— Use a deposit system on reusable cups (see Chapter 4. Reusable drinking cups) and possibly on food
packaging
—— A ban on straws, disposable food packaging, cutlery, glitter confetti, balloons, giveaways, and small
packaging such as sauces, sugar, milk, soap and shampoo (see Chapter 3. Responsible use of plastic)

2
STEP Make a basic distinction between the different areas:

—— Parking areas and approach routes

—— Frontstage (the area accessible to the public)
—— Backstage
—— Food areas
—— Campsite

In the strategy (per area), also make use of the Template Cleaning & Resources Plan in the appendix.

Parking areas and approach routes

A clean and tidy arrival sets a positive tone for the behaviour of the visitors. The experience of the event
therefore starts in the parking areas and the routes leading to entrance of the festival (from public
transport). Begin there with the ‘clean strategy’ and make the message clear.
—— Determine the main walking routes across the parking areas and from public transport (stops and
station(s)) to the event grounds.
—— Place waste islands (a few bins that are attached to each other by a frame), brackets with bags or
other provisions along these routes.
—— Send a clear briefing about waste disposal to the drivers of the organised bus transport beforehand.

Frontstage (area open to the public)

—— There are also walking routes on the grounds. The same strategy applies here as with the approach
routes: set up facilities in high-traffic areas.
—— Sometimes waste bins are best placed in the middle of the walkway. After all, in a busy crowd people
don’t go to the side of the flow of people in order to throw something away. Consequently, choose for
facilities that properly support the flow of people and that are easy to spot. Use elevated signage for this,
so it can be seen above the crowd.

14
 15

Tentwatcher, Solar Weekend festival, 2018

Backstage (including build-up and breakdown)

—— The backstage area is only accessible to the crew. This makes it easier to work with waste separation.
Instruct the crew how the event wishes to deal with this.
—— Facilitate the crew by putting large containers in place before the build-up begins. Only remove these
containers once the breakdown is complete.
—— Reserve sufficient space for the various containers (elements) if there is waste separation. Make sure
that there is also sufficient space to shift these containers to empty them during the event.

Food areas
—— Place the provisions near the food service distribution points. Provisions (rings with bags) at the
tables minimise the effort necessary to neatly dispose of waste.
—— Good maintenance of the bins/bags and visible cleaning are particularly important here, because
it is precisely this area that can get dirty quickly. Experience has shown that when visitors see cleaning
taking place, they also clean up after themselves.

Campsite
—— Initiate a ‘green campsite’. Let people consciously choose a ‘green’ and tidy campsite. By making
that choice, visitors commit themselves to it, resulting in them deliberately cleaning up after themselves
better.
—— Support this with the presence of people from the organisation who are actively involved, such as a
‘campsite mayor’ and visible clean-up helpers.
—— Start on one part of the grounds with this initiative so that people have a choice. If successful, then the
‘green’ part can be expanded each year.
—— Assist visitors as much as possible; they also need the opportunity to dispose of their waste in a good
way.
—— f it is a new event with a campsite or a newly available campsite at an existing event, then set ‘clean’
as the norm from the beginning and tell visitors about it.

15
 3
STEP Provide adequate facilities:
—— Preferably opt for several small and noticeable containers, rather than for a smaller number of very
large containers.
—— Place bins in places where you expect that people will want to dispose of their waste. Test those
places, also during the event.
—— Ensure that the bins are emptied regularly and always look clean and tidy, for instance by making use
of interchangeable bags.
—— You can use the knowledge of the supplier of the bins if necessary, to get an idea of the numbers
needed.

Signage
In the context of a sustainable event, the encouragement of waste separation is important. For the
use of colours, choose the colours used nationally as often as possible (see chart). Consider the
following elements:

—— Paper (backstage)
—— Glass (backstage)
—— Organic waste and food scraps
—— Residual waste
—— Plastic or plastic packaging, tins, and drinking cartons

Paper Glas GFT and Rest Plastic Plastic and Plastic Bilk
food Drinking Drinking
residues suits suits

RAL 5015 1023 6017 7012 2004 2004 2004

PMS (c) 285 123 7741 Cool Gray 10 1585 1585 1585

CMYK 90/45/0/0 0/20/100/0 80/20/100/10 5/0/0/70 0/65/100/0 0/65/100/0 0/65/100/0

RGB 0,112,105 255,198,39 65,135,62 100,100,105 255,107,11 255,107,11 255,107,11

Hex #0070cd #ffc627 #41873e #646469 #FF6b0b #FF6b0b #FF6b0b

Source: Department of Waterways and Public Works

16
 The particular waste elements should be adjusted depending on which materials are used at the
event and what agreements have been made regionally about the separation of waste.

—— Work with different-coloured bags, so that the contents also remain apparent outside of the
containers. Label the collection containers too: with the collection of the different streams these should
also be clearly distinguishable. To prevent overflowing waste bins, the bags from full containers should
be easy to switch out.
—— Determine a central waste point with the waste collector, where the various stations can deposit their
full bags. Also determine how these can be picked up in the interim if desired.
—— Ensure clear communication about the ‘clean standard’. Everyone understands that a clean
environment promotes clean behaviour. Communicate in any case the provisions you have in place and
through visibly cleaning.
—— In the case of a multi-day event, make sure that both the festival grounds themselves and the approach
routes to the site are spic and span in the morning. If rubbish is lying around, you are already trailing 0-1!

Visible Cleaning Team

—— Provide a Visible Cleaning Team that visibly cleans up and separates waste. The team briefing is vital.
Encourage the team before the start of the event by pointing out how positive and important their task is.
Make them responsible for cleaning, waste sorting and the timely changing of bags. It is essential that the
team can explain to the public why keeping the event clean is important. A positive image, enthusiastic
people and a good story are all a must to maintain the atmosphere. Make agreements about the areas for
which they are responsible.
—— Ideally, the Visible Cleaning Teams will be active everywhere, from the approach routes to the
backstage area. Make sure that they are thorough: better that one part of the site is kept very clean than
that the teams are so thinly spread that the intended goal – a clean event – is still not achieved. Should a
choice have to be made, then it is advisable that the food areas be given priority.
—— Ensure that every team has a leader. This person is in contact with the organisation.

4
STEP When making agreements with stakeholders consider the following points:

—— Ensure that the surroundings of stands (stalls/service points) are kept clean during the event. This
can be achieved by placing sufficient waste bins, by giving sponsors themselves the responsibility of
preventing overflowing waste bins and by cleaning up any waste in the interim.
—— Ensure that stands are delivered clean as a rule. You could work, for example, with a deposit system,
so that an actual control takes place.
—— Agree to a clear division of roles between employees and the sponsors, volunteers and the waste
collector.
—— Discuss in advance the hospitality that volunteers represent at the event. Cleaning waste during the
event is also a part of this. That they would keep their environment clean speaks for itself.
—— Share the strategy for a clean event with the local authorities, including in the follow-up afterwards.
Does the municipality have its own waste service and/or sweeping service? Then make agreements
about their possible deployment during the event and upon its completion.

17
 5
STAP
Communicate about the measures you are taking and what you expect from your visitors and
stakeholders.

—— Deploy the website and social media in advance to communicate with your target group about the
clean event. Communicate about what measures are being taken and what is expected of visitors. During
the event you can use social media to, for example, bring attention to a fun cleaning action.
—— Ask participants afterwards to indicate where they lacked waste facilities and/or where they were
hard to find, for example via the email evaluation of the event. Accept any good advice. Don’t forget to
ask them to indicate the positive points as well!
—— Supporter van Schoon is the public platform that was created by NederlandSchoon to encourage
people to do their part to increase the level of cleanliness in the Netherlands. The platform is becoming
increasingly well known and has many followers on social media. Statements about clean are
communicated to the visitor according to a consistent style and appearance. Because this platform is
now known to many people and is associated with cleanliness, it makes sense to also use this platform at
the event. You thus take advantage of the reputation and recognisability of the platform.

18
Waste separation, E-Waste Arcades (Solar Weekend Festival 2018) 19
 INSPIRATION

Kliko Crossers (Zwarte Cross 2017)

THE KLIKO CROSSERS

OF THE ZWARTE CROSS

Due to the limited capacity of the roads leading to the Zwarte Cross festival site, there are always long traffic jams before the
start of the event. Because people spend a long time in the car, they consume their own drinks and food, with the empty
packaging often ending up on the ground in a large radius around the festival.

Cleaning it up had become a time-consuming task, until the organisation came up with a solution fitting to the festival: the
Kliko Crossers. Volunteers rode electric motorbikes – with a waste container mounted onto the front fork – along the traffic
jams to collect the waste. Thanks to this playful action, visitors saved their waste to hand it in with a Kliko Crosser. It was
easy for the organisation to find volunteers for this job. As compensation, the volunteers were allowed to make a round on
the Zwarte Cross circuit.

20
 INSPIRATION

Pocket ashtrays (Extrema Outdoor 2017)

POCKET ASHTRAYS AT
EXTREMA OUTDOOR

Extrema Outdoor, in cooperation with NederlandSchoon,

handed out free pocket ashtrays to visitors. These pocket
ashtrays were well used during the event, resulting in
Waste-free zone (Vierdaagsefeesten 2018) significantly fewer cigarette butts on the ground. Because
the pocket ashtrays were provided free of charge, however,
many were found in waste bins after the festival.
WASTE-FREE ZONE DURING THE
By charging a small fee, users would attach more value
VIERDAAGSEFEESTEN to the ashtrays. They might take them home with them,
perhaps to use them again the next time.
Every year the Vierdaagsefeesten attracts around 1.6
million visitors over seven days. Due to its size alone, the
event has a major impact on the environment. Litter plays a
major role in this. To prevent littering, the Vierdaagsefeesten
introduced waste-free zones. In these zones, visitors were
encouraged – with the aid of, among other things, large
and conspicuous waste bins and waste coaches – to throw
all their waste into the appropriate waste bins to prevent
litter.

With this initiative, the Vierdaagsefeesten aims to reduce

litter, improve separating and recycle more. In addition, the
organisation has created awareness among the visitors:
What happens to your waste when you deposit it in the
correct bin? This results in visitors throwing their waste in
the appropriate waste bin outside of the waste-free zones
as well. In this way, the Vierdaagsefeesten hopes to create
a pure waste stream.

21
Responsible use Chapter 03

of plastic

22
Why responsible use of
plastic?

The use of disposable plastic items is becoming less and

less suitable for a society that focusses on sustainability
and circularity. Both at the European and national
level, plans are already being made to tackle the use
of (disposable) plastic. Moreover, disposable plastics
are also the biggest eyesore when it comes to waste at
festivals.

—— Each year we use hundreds of millions of disposable plastic cups at Dutch festivals
—— 99% of them do not get recycled
—— 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic ends up in our seas and oceans every year
—— 43% of that is disposable plastic
—— If nothing changes, by 2050 our oceans will contain more plastic than fish
—— Plastic takes five hundred years to decompose.
—— Plastic in our ecosystem poses a danger to humans and animals. Plastic has now
even been found in the air we breathe.

23
What can you do?

A festival that is clean and tidy is obviously more attractive.
That’s not just our opinion; visitors think so too. They attach
more value to clean and sustainable festivals. And of all that
plastic at our events, 99% does not get recycled, so there is
much room for improvement.
Unfortunately, there is no standard approach. After all, no
festival or event is the same. What does apply to every
festival and event is that responsible plastic use is not
limited to visitors, so let’s not forget the staff, volunteers
and artists.
For recycling, a monostream (one sort of
plastic) is necessary
In the table below, you can read which types of plastics
are recyclable. That something is recyclable, and actually
recycling it, are two different things. High-quality recycling
is only possible if the waste stream is delivered to the
recycling company or waste processor without excessive
contamination (maximum 2%). If a cup is recycled into a
new cup (instead of, for example, a kitchen cupboard),
then this involves the highest quality of recycling: circular
recycling.

Success factors for waste separation are

How do you go about it? —— Clear signage above the waste bins

1. Reduce (or better still, refuse): Is the article of plastic
really necessary, or can we do without it? Consider
samples, giveaways, etc.
2. Reuse: Can we use the plastic more often? For
example, by means of a deposit system.
3. Recycle: How can we ensure high-quality
recycling?
—— Creating a monostream of one sort of plastic (ice
packaging, chewing gum wrappers, beer trays, etc., can be a
problem here)
—— If you want to make a new transparent cup from an existing
one, as is possible with rPET, for example, then do not print
the cup. This precludes a monostream. Embossing is a great
alternative.

The table below gives an overview of the most used

(disposable) plastics and possible measures. We are
guided here by the aforementioned 3-R principle.

“ I am very much involved in the

environment in many ways, which
is also reflected in my hospitality
rider. We ask organisations to
help us with this and to do it
together. For example, they can
contribute by not using plastic
cups, straws or bottles or, if this
is not possible, by ensuring high-
quality recycling. “

24
DISPOSABLE PLASTIC ITEM POSSIBLE MEASURE

Drinking cups and bottles Circular drinking cups:

—— Replace disposable drinking cups and bottles with
reusable cups (see Chapter 4)
—— Collect disposable cups and bottles and fully recycle
(choose one type of cup (monostream) made of a
recyclable material)
—— Sell reusable bottles or give visitors permission to bring
them themselves and possibly offer (free) drinking
water

Food packaging, tableware and Circular packaging:

cutlery —— Use less packaging and cutlery and ban unnecessary
packaging
—— Replace with reusable alternatives
—— Replace with compostable alternatives, collect them
separately and actually compost them. This can be
done by using an on-site composting machine or
asking your waste collector about the possibilities

Small packaging (sugar, creamer, —— Ban unnecessary small packaging (single-serve

sauces, soap and shampoo) condiments, travel- and sample-size products)
—— Replace with larger packaging in combination with
dispensers or refillable packaging

Straws —— Ban straws

—— Replace plastic straws with compostable alternatives, if
necessary (cocktails)

Glitter, confetti and balloons —— Ban glitter, confetti and balloons

—— Replace with biodegradable alternatives

Ty-Raps —— Use fewer Ty-Raps, only when necessary

—— Replace Ty-Raps with reusable alternatives such as
wire and tie-down straps

Barricade tape —— Use less barricade tape, only when necessary

—— Replace with reusable alternatives such as rope

Banners —— Use fewer banners

—— Do not date banners, to make reuse possible
—— Replace with other reusable alternatives, for instance
wood or recyclable textiles instead PVC
—— There are still no good options on the market for
recycling PVC-banners, but finding a different purpose
for banners – such as a canvas or bag – is also an
option on a small scale

25
 Ponchos —— Do not provide (free) ponchos unless necessary. Safety
first, of course!
—— Sell reusable ponchos and encourage visitors to take
them with them
—— Collect the used ponchos separately and look at the
recycling options.

Stretch wrap —— Use less stretch wrap, if possible

—— Replace the wrap with reusable alternatives, such as
crates
—— Collect the used pieces of stretch wrap separately and
view the recycling options.

Tokens —— Instead of using tokens opt for a debit card (PIN) only
or cashless system
—— Recycle tokens in a closed circuit

Signage, stickers and laminating —— Do not laminate all signage

—— Do not date signage, to make reuse possible
—— Replace disposable signage with reusable alternatives
such as wood

Giveaways —— Prevent the handing out of (disposable) giveaways for

promotional purposes

Tents, camping materials and
inflatable items (air mattresses,
floaties)
—— Prevent an excess of party tents and inflatable items
(with the exception of air mattresses), or discourage
them and offer an alternative
—— Facilitate accommodations such as reusable or
recyclable tents
—— Facilitate a ‘Green Campsite’
—— Create awareness among visitors
—— Donate materials to charity, but do not share
this information with visitors, as it gives them the
impression that it is acceptable to leave things behind.

Bags —— Free provision of plastic bags is already prohibited. This

obviously applies to events as well

26
Recycled
or recyclable?

To begin with it is important to differentiate between
recycled materials and recyclable materials. Many materials
are recyclable, but without concrete measures, they often
end up in the incinerator. They are, therefore, not actually
recycled. Furthermore, there are also cups and other
products available that have already been made from
recycled materials. The chart below shows how the various
materials can be processed. In a circular economy, the
preservation of resources is paramount, so incineration
must be prevented as much as possible.

RECYCLING FAST COMPOSTING FERMENTING INCINERATION

COMPOSTING*
(ON-SITE)

PET/rPET Easily circularly Fossil resource

recyclable with CO2-
emissions

Polypropylene Easily recyclable Fossil resource

(PP) (not circular with CO2-
emissions

PLA Theoretically Can be Theoretically Theoretically Not a fossil

possible but not composted in possible but not possible but not resource and no
(yet) available in the machine, (yet) available in (yet) available in harmful emissions
the Netherlands but takes at least the Netherlands the Netherlands when burned
seven days

Paper with PE Can be recycled, Not a fossil

coating if collected resource and less
separately harmful emissions
when burned

Paper with PLA Can be recycled, Can be Theoretically Theoretically Not a fossil
coating if collected processed in a possible but not possible but not resource and
separately fast composting (yet) available in (yet) available in harmful emissions
machine the Netherlands the Netherlands when burned

*Only compostable in combination with food remains, ratio is dependent on the material.

27

PET/rPET
PET is currently the only material that can be recycled in
a circular manner. Thus, a new cup can again be made
without the addition of new raw materials. The use of rPET
(recycled PET) reduces CO2-emissions by around 50%.
This is therefore the most sustainable option for disposable
cups, provided that the cups are actually recycled. The
disadvantage of PET is that it cannot be used for hot
beverages, in contrast to PP.
modern sorting locations at the waste processors often
do not recognise bioplastics. It is also no solution for the
plastic soup floating in our oceans and seas!
Paper with coating
A paper cup is always given a coating, either plastic (PE)
or Polylactic (PLA). Both options are recyclable, if collected
separately (PE) or with cardboard (PLA). If this is not
possible, the PLA coating is preferred as it emits fewer
harmful substances when incinerated.

Polypropylene (PP)
PP is very recyclable but not in cups or ‘food approved’
Disposable plates & cutlery
(disposable) tableware. Recycling is therefore downcycling:
the value decreases and for this reason it is not a circular In practice, food waste and napkins appear to produce
solution. PP is, however, suitable for use with hot drinks. too much contamination for plastic plates and cutlery to
be recycled. At present, the maximum amount of other
materials that can come from a separate stream is 2%. For
this reason, it is currently advisable to use compostable
PLA materials (with an OK Compost or Kiemplant logo) and,
At the moment there are no waste processors in the if possible, actually compost them. In the future this can
Netherlands that process PLA. Therefore, this material change through innovation in the waste-processing
ends up in the incinerator. The advantage is that no industry. We will of course be following this development.
harmful substances are released during incineration, but
the material is lost. An on-site fast composting machine
can process PLA, but this takes seven days in contrast to,
for example, 24 hours for food waste. As a result, PLA adds
no value to compost. Therefore, PLA is not a sustainable
solution.
In addition, consumers get confused: Is bioplastic plastic
or compost? It is possible that compostable packaging
causes ‘contamination’ of the plastic stream. And the

WHAT IS
RESPONSIBLE USE
Plastic Promise is a national campaign that
demonstrates that the dynamic and innovative OF PLASTIC?
event industry is a pioneer in the field of responsible
plastic use.
Reduce
The use of disposable plastic items at festivals
Is the article of plastic really
and events is still more often the rule than the
necessary, or can it be done
exception. That can stand some improvement.
That’s why we are striving to replace at least 50% of without (e.g. samples, giveaways,
all disposable plastic items – such as cups, plates, etc.)
cutlery and straws – by reusable products or high-
quality recycling within three years. Re-use
Is it possible to use the item more
Join the Movement &
frequently, for example with a
Make a Plastic Promise
deposit system?
Ready to become a pioneer in the field of
responsible plastic use? Join with a Plastic Promise
to tackle plastic use in your organisation or at your Recycle
event. Decide for yourself which goals will be part How can the plastic be recycled
of your Plastic Promise. As long as they are feasible in a high-quality manner?
within three years and really have an impact.

For more information visit www.plasticpromise.nl

28
 INSPIRATION
Waste-free bar, ITGWO, 2018
(NEARLY) WASTE-FREE FESTIVAL
BARS AT INTO THE GREAT WIDE
OPEN
At this year’s Into The Great Wide Open, waste from the
bars was virtually eliminated through a system that was
designed and executed in collaboration with Lab Vlieland.
All articles of use could be returned in one of two circles of
materials:
1. Reuse: locally by rinsing or washing reusable cups, or
off-site by returning reusable products such as bottles,
kegs, tents, bars, etc.
2. A collection of bar materials separated backstage for
effective recycling circles: glass, paper, monostream
plastic.
What has Into The Great Wide Open done to achieve
this? The festival has been using hard cups for years in
combination with a deposit for all its drinks. In recent years,
29
no more disposable water bottles have been sold. These
were replaced by reusable bottles, cups and tap water
points. Last year the festival switched to reusable bottles of
syrup in combination with (carbonised) tap water instead
of the standard soft drinks in disposable bottles. This made
the festival not only more sustainable, but also tastier
and healthier. In addition, all the beer came from a large,
reusable tank.
In summary, you have eliminated: disposable cups (hard
cups), trays of beer (deposit on cardboard trays) or cans
or disposable plastic bottles for water, soft drinks or beer
(everything is poured from reusable bottles into hard cups).
Only specialty beer still came this year in PET disposable
kegs. These are also collected as monostream, making
higher-quality recycling possible.
As a result, Into The Great Wide Open, with six thousand
visitors over three and a half days – and on an island no less
– managed to prevent more than 250,000 plastic disposable
items this year alone.
Reusable
Chapter 04

drinking
cups

30
Why reusable
drinking cups?

We are all familiar with the image of a festival field strewn

with broken cups. It looks bad, is not sustainable and it
costs extra money and effort to clean up. Did you know
that when reusable cups are used, visitors also use the
designated waste bins for other waste more often, thus
ensuring that the festival site remains extra clean?

Reusable cups, why bother?

—— A cleaner event, so a better experience

—— Sustainable choice
—— Optimal drinking experience
—— Image enhancement
—— Possible earnings model
—— Marketing value when the cup is taken home
—— Savings on cleaning and waste costs, other waste ends up in the rubbish bin more
quickly

31
Facts, fables, faq and
answers

Is the use of reusable cups a sustainable Is it complicated to work with reusable cups?
choice? No, it is not complicated. This toolkit is intended to help
Yes, when you reuse a cup (Polypropylene: PP) at least organisers and the food service industry with this process.
seven to eight times. Many events – including Best Kept Secret, De Parade,
Into The Great Wide Open, DGTL, Amsterdam Open Air,
Welcome To The Village and Mandala – have already
Comparison of reusable cup vs Cup uses at which impact is worked with reusable cups. The most important dos and
other materials less per use than disposable don’ts can be found in this document.
(PP) reusable cup vs. cardboard
9 — 14 times
single-use - incinerated
Will the use of reusable cups come at the
(PP) reusable cup vs. PP
7 — 8 times expense of revenue?
single-use - incinerated
No, numerous cases and experiences have never pointed
(PP) reusable cup vs. PS to visitors drinking less when reusable cups are used.
3 — 5 times
single-use - incinerated

(PP) eusable cup vs. PET

2.5* — 5 times Are reusable cups unsafe?
single-ise - incinerated
No. Due to the use of a deposit system, most of the cups do
not end up on the ground. There is thus no tripping hazard.
*OVAM analysis uses 18 LCAs.
Cups made of PP are also (nearly) unbreakable, so shards
are also very unlikely.
Source: Studie draaiboek drink- en eetgerei op evenementen –
eindrapport (OVAM, 2017)

The eighteen LCAs that were consulted by OVAM do not specifically

relate to events. Transport is therefore included to a limited extent in
this calculation. On the other hand, cleaning processes, as they relate
to water and energy use, are greatly improving. The environmental
burden caused by transport also decreases when, due to increasing
demand from the market, more washing facilities become available at
shorter distances.
Is the use of reusable cups unhygienic?
No. The cups are in many cases not washed at the event,
but done industrially and hygienically. Read more about
this on page 22.
Is it true that visitors do not prefer reusable
cups?
No, several visitor surveys (DGTL 2016, Mysteryland
Campsite 2015) have shown that visitors actually really
appreciate them. Only keeping a cup on you is less
appreciated, so provide a user-friendly deposit system that
allows visitors to easily turn in their cups during the day.
In addition, you can make visitors happy with a cup holder
or a key ring. Did you know that a drink stays colder longer
in a reusable cup? That does make visitors happy!

Is the use of reusable cups affordable?

Yes, in many cases it is. A deposit system provides income,
and you can also save costs on cleaning, waste processing
and the purchase of disposable cups. And maybe even on
decoration, because a clean festival is naturally much more
attractive!

32
 Visitor with Hard Cup XONL

(Possible) process reusable cups

CUPS ARE
DELIVERED

CUPS ARE
CUPS ARE
STORED FOR
DISTRIBUTED
USE DURING
TO BAR
NEXT EVENT

CUPS ARE
FINAL STOCK IS ISSUED TO
COUNTED VISITORS (FOR
A DEPOSIT)

USED CUPS ARE USED CUPS ARE

COLLECTED EXCHANGED
AND CLEANED FOR CLEAN
ONES
DEPOSIT FOR
RETURNED
CUPS IS PAID
BACK TO THE
VISITOR

33
Pre-production
To rent or to buy?
A combination of both options is often implemented. If
you rent some of the cups and buy the rest, you can still
use a cup with your own imprint without making too much
of an initial investment. This can turn out positively in the
business case, since visitors end up taking home cups with
RENTING
Investment
Business case Cost per use higher
Printing cup (advantageous for (Usually) not possible
earnings model in connection
with the deposit on the cups not
being returned)
Logo placement brewer/ Ask about the possibilities at your
beverage brand brewer/beverage brand
Storage capacity
Types of cups
—— Polypropylene (PP) cups are more environmentally
friendly than polycarbonate (PC) and copolyester (e.g.
Tritan®). They are also scratch-resistant, safe – they contain
no BPA – and cheap. There are variants with a handle or tab,
which enables stacking and allows for multiple filled cups
to be carried in one hand.
—— Some plastic cups on the market contain a percentage
of recycled plastic. The environmental impact of a cup
made entirely from recycled plastic (e.g. rPET) is about half
that of a plastic cup from new, unrecycled plastic.
—— For 100% transparent cups – such as the ribbed glass
for beer or reusable plastic champagne glasses – CP or
copolyester is preferable. Of the reusable cups, those that
are polycarbonate do have the highest environmental
impact. They are also more expensive and less scratch-
resistant.
Source: Studie draaiboek drink- en eetgerei op evenementen –
eindrapport (OVAM, 2017)
34
their own printing more often and the deposit is therefore
not returned.
Below you can see an overview of the advantages and
disadvantages of renting and buying.
BUYING
High initial expenses
After about ten uses, the investment is
recouped
Possible
If logo placement is mandatory,
investing is not a good idea, as both the
logo and the collaboration can change
in the future
In-house or at the service partner
(washing facility)
How many cups should I order?
The number of cups you should order depends above all
on the expected beverage sales and whether you will be
washing the cups on location or not.
Washing on location: dependent on washing capacity;
read more on page 30.
Industrial cleaning afterwards: as many cups as the number
of disposable cups that you would normally order. In
addition, the accessibility of the bars during the event also
plays a role in the number of cups to be ordered.
Which cup do I choose for which drink?
Choose the smallest number of different types of cups
possible (beer, soft drinks, mixed drinks, wine) to limit the
logistical challenges. If you do choose multiple cups, make
sure that they are easy to differentiate. This speeds up the
sorting process for the bar staff. But the fewer different
types of glasses the faster. Are you working with a rapid
tapping/pouring device If so, check in advance whether
the cup fits into the system.
Hybrid system (reusable & recycling)
In combination with reusable cups, it is also possible to
sell disposable packaging – such as water bottles – with
the same deposit system. Just like the cups, the bottles
come back to the bar. The result is a clean waste stream
that is easily recyclable.
this token for a cup with their first order at the bar.
Selling a cup, and thus not facilitating a return payment,
causes a huge loss of cups and is thus not a sustainable
choice! By way of comparison, the loss of one reusable cup is
equivalent to throwing away ten disposable cups.

The deposit system is also suitable for beverage-carrying

trays (reusable and disposable). The deposit system can also be adapted for trays (reusable
and disposable).
Deposit or payment system
The success of the use of disposable cups is inextricably
Communication
linked to a good deposit system. The deposit must Communicate clearly about the use of reusable cups and the
be high enough: from a minimum of one Euro to a deposit system, so that your visitors know what to expect.
maximum of the price of one drink. This is not only to This might include:
cover the costs of a missed cup, but also to give the cup
extra value. Consequently, visitors more quickly grasp —— Website and social media
the importance of returning the cup.
—— Signage at the bars
Because the return payment is not always easy to —— Event programme and/or app
organise and can be susceptible to fraud, organisations
are increasingly opting for an alternative: a souvenir —— Map (with cup collection points indicated)
or promotional code. Make sure that this alternative
has sufficient value for the visitor. A sympathetic and
sustainable option is the placement of return boxes
where visitors can donate their cup to charity.

It is possible to give visitors the first cup for free, by giving

out a cup token at the entrance. The visitor exchanges

TOKENS CASHLESS CREDITS DEBIT CARD (PIN) ONLY

Deposit amount In multiples of (half) tokens In multiples of (half) credits All amounts possible

Returning cups At the bar: no more cups are At the bar: no more cups are At the bar: no more cups are
returned than the number returned than the number returned than the number
of ordered drinks, so that no of ordered drinks, so that no of ordered drinks, so that no
tokens are returned credits are returned money (PIN) is returned

Refunding the Cup collection point(s): Be
deposit careful with change. Cash
on location is susceptible to
fraud.
Ensure that there are
sufficient collection points
when people are leaving to
prevent long lines, possibly
resulting in dissatisfied
visitors
Cup collection point(s):
Refunding credits can be
done by bank. Include
a maximum number of
cups per visitor in the
regulations. Checking for
fraud is possible before the
payments are made
Cup collection point(s):
Refunds via debit card (PIN)
are even more susceptible
to fraud since large amounts
can be reimbursed

35
Production

Storage & handling of cups during the event

1. How are the cups delivered?
Plastic crates are preferable to cardboard boxes.
3. Separate collection point
Consider using separate return points during the event.
This prevents every bartender from being able to issue
tokens or credits. Do make sure you have sufficient
collection points, especially when people are leaving.

2. What must be taken into account?

—— Extra space behind the bars 4. Collection teams
—— Organisation of the bars and the collection system Let the bar staff and cleaning staff collect cups from
for the cups (cylinders or crates) the ground (if necessary), which not only provides a
—— Closed storage; the cups represent value financial savings but is also more sustainable. It would
—— Accessibility for restocking obviously be a shame to throw them away.
—— Extra staff
—— Briefing for staff
—— Fraud by staff is – just as with all valuable items – 5. Counting system and bookkeeping
something to think abou The cups represent a value, therefore ensure balanced
accounts by counting the cups on delivery and return
shipment.

Post–production

Cleaning on location and/or industrially

afterwards
Mobile wash bays are available. If you have a water
connection, it may be worth looking into washing on
location as that would entail fewer cups (and therefore
lower costs). A backstage route behind the bars for bringing
cups to and from the central washing location would then
be necessary, as would extra staff.

A final, industrial cleaning is always necessary in connection

with health regulations. If the cups are not stored
hygienically and dry, there is a risk of mould formation.

36
 INSPIRATION

Hard Cups, DGTL, 2017 Hard Cups Welcome to the Village, 2018

DGTL CUPS WTTV CUPS

37
Composting
Chapter 05

38
Why compost?

After a festival has introduced the hard-cup system

and this residual stream of disposable plastic has thus
disappeared, one can take the next step towards a
waste-free festival by composting plates, cutlery and
leftover food. This waste stream is virtually impossible to
recycle when the plates and cutlery are made of plastic
because of the way that the food scraps contaminate
it. An additional advantage is that you do not use fossil
resources (plastics).

39
Step-by-step guide to
composting

1
STEP Require caterers – and everyone who provides disposable tableware, packaging and products to the
public at the festival site – to use compostable disposable tableware. It is important that the products
are made from kraft, unbleached paper, cardboard, thin wood or sugar cane. These products can be
recognised by the OK Compost or Kiemplant logo. Other biodegradable materials such as (C)PLA,
bamboo, thicker wood and palm leaves are not suitable for this system due to the length of time
they require to compost. The demand for compostable disposable tableware is becoming more and
more common for festival caterers. However, it is good to arrange for a discount for the caterers at
two or three different packaging suppliers, so that the price difference does not vary too much from
standard products.

2
STEP Install a fast composting machine that composts all the organic residual material on location. All
compostable disposables (suitable materials for a fast composting process: kraft, unbleached paper,
cardboard, thin wood or sugar cane), food waste and green waste can go in here. The residual
organic material is then converted by the machine in 24 hours, from waste to the new resource:
compost. If necessary, this compost is sieved so that any contamination (not properly separated
materials) will disappear from the end product after the composting process. In this way, the system
can also withstand 10 to 20 per cent contamination of the compostable stream.

The compost can be used for growing food for subsequent editions, the restoration of grass fields
or the enrichment of other soils. It can also be given to the public in attractive packaging or sold for
home use. By using the compost in this way, the nutrients return to the ecosystem instead of it being
incinerated. Thus, the organic circle is closed a bit more.

There are now some waste processors that can process these compostable waste streams. Discuss
this with your waste processor if placing a compost machine doesn’t fit into your plans.

Composting with a compost machine is a new, not yet fully developed, technique. It is currently not
yet certain if the final product can properly be called compost. An official government definition is
coming later this year.

40
 3
Furthermore, we recommend separating two waste streams at the festival site:
STEP
1. Compostable
2. Residual waste

In principle, everything that the public can get at the festival site can go into the first stream. The
second stream – residual waste – is intended for the materials and products that people bring with
them, such as cigarette packs, lighters, broken sunglasses, deodorant applicators, hair clips, etc.
With a well-regulated system, the residual stream is minimal. Therefore, it is also better if the residual
waste bins are smaller than those for compostable residual material.

Success factors for waste separation are

—— Clear signage above the waste bins
—— Creating a monostream of material that can be processed in the same way

4
Good communication about separating waste at the festival site is essential. Use the website, social
STEP media, and signage at the bars and caterers and at the waste and resource bins. Visitors are not
accustomed to plates, cups and utensils being compostable, so they may initially be a little confused.
Good signage can make it clear to the visitor what can go in a particular bin. Good communication
afterwards about the results helps the public get used to the idea. Likewise, the appreciation for the
festival as a whole increases.

By following these four steps, you can make the public areas of your festival virtually waste free. Are
you interested in this as a festival organisation, but could use some help with the planning and/or
implementation? Then take a look at: www.labvlieland.nl

Compost Machine

41
 INSPIRATION

DGTL Circular Food Court

FROM WASTE TO RESOURCES AT DGTL, AMSTERDAM OPEN AIR, WELCOME TO THE

VILLAGE, MILKSHAKE & INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

In 2018, five festivals worked together with Lab Vlieland on the same goal: transforming waste to resources. After the
introduction of reusable cups and minimizing the use of disposable bottles through deposit, a large residual waste stream
remained on the festival site; namely, disposable food packaging (cups, plates, trays, eating utensils). With the assistance
of the caterers, the visitors at the festivals ate with compostable disposables. For this purpose, the waste/resources at the
festival site were collected separately in a compostable stream and a very small residual stream (cigarette packs, sunglasses,
deodorant applicators, etc.).
The compostable disposables were then processed on-site in combination with green and food remains in a fast-composting
machine. The machine works through the combination of heat, a slow mixer and a special bacterial culture, and so doing,
can create a new resource from this residual stream in 24-hours: compost.

In this way the nutrients can be brought back into the local ecosystem instead of burning them, as usually happens with
residual waste. Transport CO2 is also saved and CO2 is trapped in the compost. With this local processing system, these
and other festivals were able to make a big step in the direction of a waste-free festival site.

42
Campsite
Chapter 06

waste

43
20-25% of the tents and
camping material are
left behind

The discarded tents and camping materials left behind

at Dutch festival campsites are the rule rather than
the exception. It’s part of the festival culture because
– according to many visitors – it will be cleaned up
anyway. Tents are cheap these days: for just a few
dozen Euros you can buy a pop-up tent

Clear communication on this subject is key to

achieving a change in behaviour.

44
Why campsite waste is a
problem?
While it’s a European problem, in the Netherlands in
particular 20% to 25% of the tents and camping gear are left
behind after a festival. In general, this type of campsite waste
is poorly recyclable due to the use of various materials.
And the low cost of the materials versus the high costs of
labour make manually sorting it virtually impossible. It is
very difficult and perhaps impossible to make a positive
business case out of this. The ‘household waste’ is also
poorly recyclable and difficult to manage, because visitors
often bring a lot of things from home.
What can you do about it?
Unfortunately, an ideal solution to this problem has not yet
been found. As long as visitors can cheaply buy a tent and
these cheap tents – of poor quality – are even being sold as
‘festival tents’, it is difficult to find an incentive for visitors to
take their things home with them. Using a deposit seems a
logical choice, but that entails some challenges in practice.
A number of festivals have launched successful projects
that will be shared with you in this chapter.
While the perfect solution has yet to be found, there are
still some appropriate measures that can be taken. As
the campsite is part of the festival, a similar strategy as
elsewhere can be applied here, with a few campsite-
specific additions:
—— Distribute garbage bags (possibly two sorts for waste
separation)
—— Mobilise teams to make visitors conscious of the impact of
their waste with a friendly conversation
—— Look critically at the campsite regulations
—— Encourage visitors to bring less stuff
—— Set up a ‘clean zone’ where visitors conform to a number
of rules, such as: keep your camping spot clean and take your
tent home with you
—— Offer tents or other reusable accommodations
—— Give discarded items a second life, but don’t communicate
this to festivalgoers
Clean
It is a given that a clean environment stays that way
longer, and this is also applicable to festival campsites.
Visitors are often prepared to do their part, provided
it does not take too much effort. Therefore, hand out
garbage bags at the entrance, or even better, while they
are setting up their tents. And explain the importance of
using the garbage bags. Solar Weekend, for example,
puts the cleanest camp in the spotlight every year and
rewards these visitors with tickets for the following
edition. In addition, deploy teams to make the visitor
aware of the impact of their litter. Read more about this
in the Camping Guardians case on page 47.
Clean Zone
Set up a ‘Clean Zone’, where visitors conform to a
number of rules to ensure that the zone remains clean
and that tents and other camping equipment return
home. Read more about this in the ‘Greener Grass’ case
on page 48.
Reuse
Reducing waste can be done through the adoption of
strict campsite regulations: What are visitors allowed to
bring, and what not? Think for instance about banning
party tents. The challenge with this is enforcement: How
are you going to rigorously monitor this? It also works to
motivate visitors in a positive way to bring fewer things
with them, for instance through – one time only and
upon the presentation of their ticket – offering a tray of
beer at supermarket prices, or by renting out equipment
at the campsite through a recycle store.
Reuse & Recycle
Offer visitors the possibility of renting a tent or other
accommodation. There are various providers, in a large
variety of price brackets. Most accommodations are
reusable and are used again at other events. A cardboard
tent (KarTent) is not reusable, but it is recyclable: you
can ensure that this actually happens by collecting and
processing paper and cardboard separately.
Despite the fact that it is difficult to give a new life to the
discarded camping materials, there are institutions and
good causes – such as charity shops – which can do
something with these things. Give them the opportunity
to come salvage what can be used after the festival.
Please note: do not communicate this to visitors, to
prevent them from thinking that it is good to leave things
behind.
 INSPIRATION

Camping guardians (Mysteryland, 2018)

MYSTERYLAND CAMPING GUARDIANS

Since 2016 – the first year that Mysteryland had a campsite – the organisation has worked with Camping Guardians. The
Camping Guardians work in pairs and manage the Mysteryland Campsite from opening to closing. Each pair has its own
tent with seating, spread out over the campsite. The spots are manned from early in the morning until 1am.

The Camping Guardians welcome the visitors at the opening. They hand out garbage bags, show visitors the ropes and
give them a hand with heavy baggage. At the Camping Guardians’ tents, visitors can inflate their airbeds and charge their
mobile phones. You can also wait at their tents for your friends, and lost visitors can catch their breath. Camping Guardians
are a source of information and, if necessary, can refer someone to first aid or security.

46
 INSPIRATION

Greener Grass (Solar Weekend Festival, 2018)

GREENER GRASS CAMPSITE AT SOLAR

WEEKEND FESTIVAL

In order to reduce the growing number of tents and other

camping articles such as party tents, chairs, coolers, air
mattresses and sleeping bags that are left behind, Solar Recycle store (Mysteryland, 2018)
Weekend calls on its visitors to take these things home with
them. Under the guise of ‘the grass is always greener on the
other side’, Solar Weekend Festival has created ‘Greener
MYSTERYLAND CAMPING
Grass Campsite’. For this separate camping area, where
visitors who like to stay on a clean campsite can come, the RECYCLE STORE
following ‘commandments’ apply:
Mysteryland has hosted a Camping Recycle Store since
1. A Greener Grass ticket does not cost any more or less it introduced a campsite in 2016. Second-hand chairs,
than the regular campsite but is just nicer for everyone. tables and other camping necessities in good condition
2. You throw your own rubbish in the correct waste bin can be bought here for a friendly price. New items such as
and/or garbage bag. mattresses and lighting can also be bought here.
3. You take your tent and other camping materials home
with you when the festival is over. There is a deposit on the second-hand items, and visitors
4. If your fellow campers end up making a mess are encouraged to return the items or take them home. Each
of it accidentally anyway, remind them of these item of used camping gear is tagged with a message stating
commandments. that it should be taken good care of and not left on the
5. You party just as hard here as at the rest of the campsite. campsite. Good camping gear can be turned in here after
the festival weekend. The second-hand items are collected,
The ticket price for this campsite is the same as that of a selected, picked up and stored at another festival.
regular ticket and the facilities are virtually the same.
This prevents visitors from staying at this campsite for
the wrong reasons and not abiding by the Greener Grass
Commandments. The number of tickets sold is growing
yearly; it would be nice if after a number of years, ‘grey’
campsite tickets are no longer sold at all.

47
Appendix
INTRODUCTION FOR THE ORGANISATION 49
HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK 50

TO-DOs BEFORE THE FESTIVAL 51

Checklist: Develop insights on materials entering the festival site

TO-DOs DURING THE FESTIVAL 52

Checklist: Gather data on residual waste from the festival site
Checklist: Gather data on general waste from the caterers

TO-DOs AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE FESTIVALL 54

Checklist: Gather data after the festival had ended
Checklist: Collect and send data

APPENDIX A: 56
1. Contact information organisation 56
2. Contact information cleaning 56
3. Contact information waste and resource processing 56
4. Details 57
5. Resources plan 58
6. Cleaning plan 62
7. Clean & Green teams 64
8. Planning 65

48
 Welcome to your (first) waste-
INTRODUCTION
free festival!
Every year, festivals in the Netherlands attract millions of visitors. Not only
do they come for the music, but also for the delicious food, the decor and the
vibrant atmosphere that the festival organisers create. However, with all of this
activity comes a lot of waste. Studies show that on average, festival visitors
each produce more than one kilogram of waste per day. On an annual basis this
amounts to up to 50 million kilograms of waste. This is the equivalent amount
of waste that 23 000 households produce in one year! Much of this waste
becomes residual waste, and thus, little to none of it can be recycled. In order
to tackle this type of waste, organisations Nederland Schoon (Netherlands
Clean) and Green Events Nederland launched the Green Deal Afvalvrije Festivals
(Waste-Free Festivals) in 2015.

When we look at the material flows surrounding the organization of a festival,

various waste streams can be identified. These waste streams are mostly litter,
food remains, ponchos, packages, wrapping and cigarettes from visitors, and
wood-, metal- and plastic waste from the setup and dismantling of the festival.
The first step in addressing these waste streams is to understand the source
of the waste (where does it come from), the final destination of the waste
(what happens with the waste) and the volume. To make this possible, it is very
important to properly map out all these waste streams. The purpose of this
handbook is to provide a step-by-step guide that helps to make mapping all of
the relevant waste streams for festivals a standard procedure.

In this guide, you will find several checklists and tables to help you create a
detailed overview of the waste streams coming from festival visitors, catering
companies and bars, as well as the waste produced when setting up and
dismantling the stages, tents and decor. These can be used before and after
the festival (by the organizers), as well as during the festival (by volunteers, for
example).

Following the steps provided in this manual will help you to map out all of your
material flows. This is a very important first step towards becoming a waste-free
festival!

Good luck and have fun!

 How to
use this
handbook

THE SCOPE
This handbook is designed as a step-by-step guide to help you gather information on the waste
streams within your festival in an easy and structured way. To narrow the scope of this research,
we will only focus on materials and material flows, and not, for example, electricity or energy use,
CO2 emissions or fuel-use.

THE APPROACH
When we carry out the research, we make a distinction between three specific phases, namely:

1. Before the festival

2. During the festival
3. After the festival

This distinction will be repeated in the research methods, where we have divided the tasks into
those that can/need to be performed before, those performed during, and those performed after
the festival.

USING THE MANUAL

In this manual, every phase contains checklists that will help you to carry out your research.
At each step, they will explain what still needs to happen and why. There is also an indication,
per phase, of how much time you will need to complete the checklists and how many people/
volunteers will be needed to do so.

50
Phase 1: Before the Festival
During this phase, an inventory is created of all the materials used during the setup of the festival. Examples could
include construction materials for the stages and tents, or electronics for the lighting and sound. A lot of waste
is already produced during this phase of the festival, mainly in the form of cardboard boxes, plastic wrapping,
wooden beams or, for example, remnants from the décor setup. To get a clear and insightful overview of these waste
streams, it is important to remind those involved in this phase early on during the construction period, to keep close
track of their waste.

CHECKLIST: CREATING AN OVERVIEW OF THE MATERIALS ENTERING THE FESTIVAL SITE

Make a list of all suppliers, waste handlers, material- and construction firms that bring materials to the festival
site, or that treat or collect materials after the festival has ended, for example:
Stage builders
Tent hire firms
Caterers
Sanitation and plumbing firms
Counters/lockers/and cloakroom providers
Fence builders and area markers
Decor firms
Waste handlers
Cleaning companies

Inform suppliers and waste handlers beforehand that they will receive a survey and tell them why it is important
that they answer the survey questions in as much detail as possible.

Send all suppliers and waste handlers the survey by email well ahead the festival (at least 2-3 weeks in advance).
Data from the waste handlers will only be available after the festival has ended. Nonetheless, it is still
important to notify and inform the waste handlers about the coming request for data well in advance.

Follow up with the suppliers that haven’t replied within a week of the festival start date.

Collect the data from the suppliers. Here, it is important to note that:
For all data, it should clearly state who delivered the data , including contact details
For all values, it should clearly state whether this is an estimation or an actual value (in most cases, suppliers
will use estimations.)

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO THIS? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE?
• 6 weeks in advance • Half a day, 6 weeks in advance
• Send a reminder 1 week in advance • Half a day, 1 week in advance

WHO DO YOU NEED FOR THIS? WHAT CAN YOU USE TO HELP YOU?
• 1 person from the organisation • Appendix A: Template: Introduction for
suppliers and waste handlers
• Appendix F: Survey for the waste from
constructing and dismantling the stages,
decor and technical elements
Phase 2: During the festival
The collection of data during the festival will mostly depend on the efforts of volunteers present at the festival site.
By completing surveys during the separation of collected waste and conducting interviews with the caterers and
bars, volunteers should aim to gain insights into the composition of the unseparated waste streams. Waste streams
that have already been separated on site are weighed separately and processed by the waste handlers, thus these
streams do not need to be analysed by the volunteers and are therefore also outside of the scope of this research.

Surveys during the separation of collected waste

It is important to understand the waste content within the garbage bins that come from the festival site. This can be
done by randomly examining sample garbage bags using the surveys provided.

CHECKLIST: COLLECTING RESIDUAL WASTE DATA FROM THE FESTIVAL SITE

Plan and schedule 4-8 volunteers (depending on the size of the festival) to carry out the task of random sampling
the garbage bags coming from the festival site in the afternoon and evening.
At a multi-day festival, this task can be executed not only on the opening day but also on every other day of
the festival including an extra check every morning

Check 1 in every 5 garbage bags using the appropriate surveys.

Fewer garbage bags will result in data with a lower resolution.
Separating the waste from one garbage bag and filling out the survey will take two volunteers roughly
10 minutes. One volunteer separates the waste, while the other keeps track of everything that is being
separated while filling out the survey.

Assign a designated individual who is responsible for collecting the data of the completed surveys and who will
make sure at the end of the festival that all data is collected.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO THIS? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE?
• In the afternoon/evening of the festival • For each volunteer, 1-2 hours per afternoon/
evening session

WHO DO YOU NEED FOR THIS? WHAT CAN YOU USE TO HELP YOU?
• 4-8 volunteers (depending on the size of • Appendix B: Template: Introduction for
the festival) volunteers
• 1 coordinator • Appendix C: Survey for waste separation
Phase 2: During the festival (continued)

Interviews with caterers and bars

A lot of waste is produced during the production of meals on the festival site. This includes food waste (peels
and unsold meals), frying fat, packages and wrapping. These waste streams can be identified and mapped out by
conducting interviews.

CHECKLIST: COLLECTING WASTE DATA FROM CATERERS

Plan and schedule 2-4 volunteers to conduct interviews with caterers at the beginning of the festival, or close to
its start date.
For this you can use the interview script and survey presented in this handbook.

Interviews will take about 5-10 minutes and can be conducted individually or in pairs.

Interview all the caterers and all the bars.

Assign a designated individual that is responsible for collecting the data of the completed surveys and who will
make sure at the end of the festival that all the data is collected.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO THIS? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE?
• In the morning or at the beginning of the • 2-3 hours in the morning or at the beginning
festival of the festival

WHO DO YOU NEED FOR THIS? WHAT CAN YOU USE TO HELP YOU?
• 2-4 volunteers (depending on the size of • Appendix B: Template: Introduction for
the festival) volunteers
• 1 coordinator • Appendix D: Interview script for waste from
caterers and bars
• Appendix E: Survey for caterers and bars
Phase 3: After the festival
The week after the festival has ended, there is still a lot of data to be collected from the waste handlers, cleaning
companies and dismantling crew. This data will not be readily available right after the festival has ended, but it is
very important to contact these parties shortly after the festival so that they can mentally prepare for the upcoming
survey.

CHECKLIST 4: COLLECTING DATA AFTER THE FESTIVAL

Shortly after the festival, contact all the relevant parties involved in the collection and processing of material and
waste streams, including:
Waste handlers
Sanitation and plumbing firms
Stage builders and dismantlers
Decor firms

One week after the festival has finished, send the survey for waste from the construction and dismantling of
stages, decor and technical elements to all the identified parties.

Try and aim to have all surveys from all firms completed within 2-3 weeks after the festival has ended.

Assign a designated individual who is responsible for collecting the data of the completed surveys and who will
make sure at the end of the festival that all the data is collected.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO THIS? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE?
• In the first two weeks after the festival has • Half a day per week
ended

WHO DO YOU NEED FOR THIS?
• 1 employee from the festival organizer
WHAT CAN YOU USE TO HELP YOU?
• Appendix A: Template: Introduction for
suppliers and waste handlers
• Appendix F: Survey for waste from the
construction and dismantling of stages,
decoration and technical elements
Phase 3: After the festival (continued)

Collecting and sending the data

Once the data is gathered, it is very important that the handling and processing of the data is carefully managed,
and that it is clear who is responsible for doing so. Therefore, it is recommended that only one person is appointed
as responsible for the whole process and keeps a clear overview of these final steps. They ensure that all surveys
and interviews are collected, that all the suppliers responded, and that all the waste handlers have submitted their
data to the festival organizers after the festival has ended. When all the data has been collected, it can be sent by
email to Green Events Nederland (paul@greenevents.nl), who will make sure the data will be properly handled for
further analysis.

CHECKLIST: DATA COLLECTION AND SENDING

All suppliers have sent their data.
The data is complete.

During the festival, all the surveys conducted for the separation of waste from garbage bags and the interviews
surrounding this, have been submitted to the responsible person.

All the waste handlers have submitted their data to the festival organizers.
This data is complete.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO THIS? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE?
• As soon as all the data is present • Half a day

WHO DO YOU NEED FOR THIS? WHAT CAN YOU USE TO HELP YOU?
• 1 employee from the festival organizers • -
 1. Contact information – organisation
NAME FUNCTION TELEPHONE EMAIL

2. Contact information – cleaning

CLEANING COMPANY: Fill in name

NAME FUNCTION TELEPHONE EMAIL

3. Contact information – waste- and

resource-processing
WASTE (RAW MATERIAL) COLLECTION COMPANY: Fill in name

NAME FUNCTION TELEPHONE EMAIL

56
4. Details
EVENT

DATE

LOCATION

NUMBER OF VISITORS

LICENSING AUTHORITY

TIMES

SURFACE AREA

CAMPSITE

DATE

LOCATION

NUMBER OF VISITORS

LICENSING AUTHORITY

TIMES

SURFACE AREA

57
 5. Resources Plan
Three key factors in the strategy for dealing with waste are reduce,
reuse and recycle.

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

5.1 REDUCE
To prevent and/or reduce waste, we take the following measures:

• No samples, flyers, timetables and carrying trays

• No plastic bags (free distribution is forbidden anyway)
• Less packaging for catering, the camping shop, etc.
• Strict camping regulations concerning bringing your own food, drinks, party tents etc.
• Avoid the use of disposables

5.2 REUSE
To reuse resources, we take the following measures:

• Whenever possible, make use of stages, décor and infrastructure that are designed for disassembly and
reuse (for instance rented)
• Do not have a date printed on banners and signage
• Use hard cups instead of disposable cups

5.3 RECYCLE/RESOURCES
To get as clear a picture as possible of the resources that are released, we divide the resources into those
which are produced during the build-up, during the festival, and during the breakdown.

58
Build-up

RESOURCE ORIGIN COLLECTION WHAT HAPPENS TO DESTINATION

RECEPTACLE IT? (RECYCLING)
e.g. Wood e.g. Decoration e.g. 20m3 roller container e.g. Reused

e.g. Glass e.g. Crew catering e.g. 240 litre container e.g. Removed separately

Festival/Camping

RESOURCE ORIGIN COLLECTION WHAT HAPPENS TO DESTINATION

RECEPTACLE IT?? (RECYCLING)
e.g. Cardboard e.g. Caterers Bijv. 1100 liter container Bijv. Gescheiden afgevoerd

e.g. Plastic e.g. Public area e.g. 240 litre container e.g. Removed separately

Breakdown

RESOURCE ORIGIN COLLECTION WHAT HAPPENS TO DESTINATION

RECEPTACLE IT? (RECYCLING)
e.g. Wood e.g. Decoration e.g. 20m3 roller container e.g. Removed separately

e.g. Furnishings e.g. Decoration/ Bijv. 20m3 afzetcontainer Bijv. Afgevoerd als grof afval

The collector is not always the processor of the resources he disposes of. Many waste streams are processed
by a final processor. To gain more insight into what happens to the resources once they are removed – where
they go and who processes them – it is advisable to request this information from the collector in advance.
Weight dockets or photos can be requested as a means of verification.

Make prior agreements about such matters as:

• The number of transport journeys. The collector is usually given the opportunity to drive the containers in
together (other rate agreements).
• Disposal of containers only takes place in consultation with the organisation and after inspection, in order
to prevent rejection due to possible contamination. Remember to cover the containers in case of rain to
prevent extra contamination.
• Futile journeys taken without the prior agreement or signature of the organisation will not incur a charge.
• All weight dockets from the removed containers are sent with the invoice as verification.

59
 5.4 COLLECTION RECEPTACLES AND BIN PLAN
• Collection receptacles are available in various types and sizes. The most common collection containers
are wheelie bins and roller containers
• Wheelie bins in the sizes 140, 240, 660 and 1100 litre
• Roller containers with a capacity of: 6, 10, 20, 40 m3

• By making a prior inventory of which resources are produced, a detailed ‘bin plan’ can be made.
• In the bin plan, describe which bins will be used where.
• For example: bars 1 x 1100 litres residual waste, 1 x 1100 litres cardboard, 1 x 660 litres plastic

Islands or other collection receptacles are often used for the separation of resources on location. It is import-
ant to take into account coloured containers and correct signage, according to the following colour coding:

Paper Glas GFT and Rest Plastic Plastic and Plastic Bilk
food Drinking Drinking
residues suits suits

RAL 5015 1023 6017 7012 2004 2004 2004

PMS (c) 285 123 7741 Cool Gray 10 1585 1585 1585

CMYK 90/45/0/0 0/20/100/0 80/20/100/10 5/0/0/70 0/65/100/0 0/65/100/0 0/65/100/0

RGB 0,112,105 255,198,39 65,135,62 100,100,105 255,107,11 255,107,11 255,107,11

Hex #0070cd #ffc627 #41873e #646469 #FF6b0b #FF6b0b #FF6b0b

60
Deployment of Containers

ORIGIN WASTE/ INZAMEL- INZAMEL- INZAMEL- INZAMEL- INZAMEL-

INGSMIDDEL INGSMIDDEL INGSMIDDEL INGSMIDDEL INGSMIDDEL
BACKSTAGE BACKSTAGE BACKSTAGE FRONTSTAGE FRONTSTAGE
240 LITER 660 LITER 1100 LITER 240 LITER AFVALEI-
LAND

Production Paper/ Cardboard 1

Crew Catering Glass 1

Bar1 Plastic 1 1

Food1 Residual Waste 1 1

Etc.

5.5 CHECK
The mapping of the resources to be produced and the creation of a suitable resource plan takes time, but it is
time well spent. A plan alone, however, is not enough.

The implementation of the plan also requires the proper attention. In order for this plan to be successful, con-
tinuous monitoring is necessary. A number of issues require structural attention, such as::

• Communication and coordination with the various suppliers

• Monitoring the resource flows during the build-up and breakdown, during the event and after removal
• Reviewing the bin plan

In order to be able to carry out the above, it is advisable to appoint someone as a resource coordinator. This
person, together with the sustainability manager, is responsible for the correct marketing and processing of
resources. They see to it that the resource plan is executed according to agreement.

61
 6. Cleaning plan
6.1 DURING THE DAY
To prevent littering and to keep the site as clean as possible, we deploy service teams during the day. The
service teams consist of cleaning company personnel and/or volunteers (‘Clean & Green’ Teams)

Distribution of service teams during the event:

Evenement

DATE TIME STAFF FOCUS AREA

Campsite

DATE TIME STAFF FOCUS AREA

A number of focus areas are predetermined:

1. Approach route/surrounding area

- Parking spaces, bicycle parking, approach routes
Tasks: cleaning up using a trash picker and emptying collection receptacles

2. Frontstage
- Entrance, food area, VIP
Tasks: cleaning using a picker, keeping the tables clean and waste-free, emptying collection receptacles.

3. Backstage
- Production, bars, catering
Tasks: Checking separation of resources, sorting resources on location.

62
6.2 FINAL CLEANING
After the event the entire site, the surrounding area and the campsite are cleaned according to the following
schedule:

Event

DATE TIME NUMBER OF STAFF MATERIALS AND MACHINES

The completion of the event takes place on:

Camping

DATE TIME NUMBER OF STAFF MATERIALS AND MACHINES

The completion of the campsite takes place on:

63
 7. Clean & Green teams
7.1 DEPLOYMENT AND ACTIVITIES CLEAN & GREEN TEAMS

• Picking trash up and separating it – festivall

• Handing out garbage bags – campsite
• Appealing to visitors to throw the resources in the correct bin in a cheerful, enthusiastic and approachable
manner
• On Monday morning, supporting visitors in their cleaning efforts and preventing them from leaving much behind
• This in cooperation with the cleaning company (should be adequately dealing with full collection recep-
tacles, etc.)
• Preventing litter on the approach routes before and after the festival
• Keeping food areas clean
• ptying tables and cleaning them with a cloth

Important points:
• Divide the teams into areas and ask them to keep their area clean from the start. This will keep everyone on sched-
ule and the areas tidy.
• Make the ‘Clean & Green’ Team important. Pamper the workers and make sure that they do not lack for anything.
• Provide eye-catching styling and make-up. It’s fun for the workers and their enthusiasm will be contagious.
• Adjust the colours of their clothing to the type of waste that they pick up, and let these colours correspond to the
signs on the bins. Then visitors will better understand why they aren’t picking up all the waste.
• Ask the teams about what they have noticed, such as: points for improvement for next year, use and placement of
waste bins, places where specific waste ends up, etc.

GREEN CAMPSITE TEAMS

• Providing information
• Handing out new garbage bags
• Helping with inflating airbeds
• Acting as ‘telephone watcher’ when phones are charging (unsecured)
• Daily morning round for handing out garbage bags (can use 2 colours to enable waste separation) and asking
visitors to clean up debris around their own tent
• On Monday/last morning: support visitors in cleaning up and prevent much stuff from being left behind
• Hangout ‘get together’ for people who come home (alone) after the festival
• Hangout ‘meeting point’ with friends
• First point of contact for questions and assistance. Can quickly switch with security and first aid via walkie-talkie
• Signalling of problems and dealing with them appropriately

Important points::
• Provide eye-catching styling. This communicates more easily with visitors and stands out better
• Important that they also stay in a tent on the campsite (peer-to-peer communication)
• Preferably no volunteers, in connection with the working hours and responsibilities

64
8. Planning
When will which resources and materials be delivered?

BUILD-UP

DATE TIME COLLECTION SUPPLIER CONTACT

RECEPTACLE/
MATERIAL

BREAKDOWN

DATE TIME COLLECTION SUPPLIER CONTACT

RECEPTACLE/
MATERIAL

Include the production and/or cleaning company manual where applicable.

65
Green Events Nederland
www.greenevents.nl